Yoga Poses, Yoga Flows, and Asanas for Strength & Power Athletes

Paul on Yoga. Paul on Yoga. Through my practice of Yoga, I have mastered techniques like the handstand and forearms balances. Yoga has brought me strength that I could never develop from weight lifting alone. When I teach private yoga lesson, I customize the lesson to the individual. Unlike other teachers who force you to conform to their program, we write a program designed for you.

When I started learning about yoga, I found it very difficult to find approachable poses.  Below are some common poses I use in the Standing balance category.  You will also find 4 sample flows I wrote for 4 different customers.

Extremely Effective Yoga Poses and Asanas for Strength and Power Athletes.

Yoga Flows and Sequences

Hip Opener - Intermediate

1. Warmup
   1. Half Lotus with Kapalabhati Pranayama for 1 Minute x 3. Forced Exhale with natural inhale.
2. Surya Namaskara A, Tail of Dog to, Ashta Chandrasana
3. Surya Namaskara B – 3 Switches
4. Sequence A
   1. Warrior II
   2. Uttithta Parvakonasa
   3. Crow
   4. Eka Pada Koundinyasana A
   5. Crow
   6. Malasana
   7. Crow
   8. Eka Pada Koundinyasana A
   9. Crow
   10. Malasana
   11. Prapada Utthita Pashva Pasa Upaveshana – Tip Toe Extended Leg to the SIde squat pose (P193 2100 Asanas)
5. Sequence B
   1. Lizard Lunge
   2. Astavakrasana 8 Angle Pose
6. Sequence C
   1. Utkatasana
   2. Garudasana – Eagle Pose
   3. Warrior III
   4. Utthita Trikonasana
   5. Prasarita Padottansana A & C
   6. Parsvottanasana
   7. Parivrtta Trikonasana
   8. Spread Arm Warrior I
7. Sequence D
   1. Surya Namaskara A, Tail of Dog to, Ashta Chandrasana
   2. Parivrtta Ashta Chandrasana 3 Switches
   3. Adho Mukasana
   4. Eka Pada Rajakapotasana
   5. Urdhva Dhanurasana
   6. 1 Leg Urdhva Dhanurasana
8. Sequence D
   1. Ardha Matsyendrasana – Half Lord of Fishes
   2. Gomukhasana (Cow faced Pose)
   3. Agnistambhasana – Fire Log Pose
9. Sequence E
   1. Dandasana
   2. Paschimottanasana – West Intense Stretch – Seated Forward Fold
   3. Upavistha Konasana – Wide-Angle Seated Forward Bend
   4. Baddha Konasana – Butterfly
10. Sequence
    1. Halasana
    2. Salamba Sarvangasana – Maybe put mat under arms
    3. Uttana Padasana – Extended Fish Pose

Inversions - Intermediate

1. Virasana – Hero Pose with Ujjayi Pranayama
2. Adho Mukasana – 2-3 Minutes
3. Uttanasana – 1 minute
4. Salamba Sirasana I. 2-3 Minutes
5. Gomukhasana (cow faced pose) 10 Breaths per side
6. Adho Mukha Asana – 2-3 Minutes
7. Garudasana – Eagle Pose 10 Breaths
8. Adho Mukasana – 2-3 Minutes
9. Navasana – Boat
10. Salamba Sirasana II. 2-3 Minutes
11. Surya Namaskara B – 3 Switches
12. Adho Mukha Vrkasana 3 holds
13. Padangusthasana (big toe folded pose)
14. Pada Hastanana (folded hand pose)
15. Eka Pada Paripurna Vrishchikasana – One legged Stretched out Scorpion
16. Malasana
17. Crow
18. Lolasana
19. Crow
20. Malasana
21. Side Lunge with Raised Toe
22. Malasana
23. Side Lunge with Raised Toe
24. Step Through
25. Marichyanana C – Sage Marichi Pose
26. Crossbody IT Band Foot hold
27. Ardha Baddha Padma Paschimottanasana – Seated Half Lotus fold over pose
28. Seated One Foot Big Toe Hold Pose – Eka Pada Padangusthasana
29. Setu Bandha Sarvangasana
30. Dhanurasana – Wheel Bridge
31. Chakrasana – Toe Bridge Pose
32. Urdhva Dhanurasana; 5-10 breaths (1 leg Bridge)
33. Utthita Matsyasana – Extended Fish Pose
34. Navasna
35. Yogi Bicycles
36. Firelog Hold with Toe Jam

Standing Balance - Intermediate

1. Adho Mukha Svanasana and Urdva Mukha Svanasana back and forth 5 reps.
2. Sequence A
   1. Tadasana
   2. Chandrasana
   3. Vrksasana
   4. Garudasana
   5. Ardha Baddha Padmottanasana (half bound lotus intense stretch pose)
   6. Utthita Hasta Padangustasana II
3. Sequence B – All with strap
   1. Bound Side Stretch
   2. Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana I and I
   3. Parsvottanasana – Intense Side stretch
   4. Humble Warrior
   5. Prasarita Padottanasana A
4. Sequence C
   1. Virasana
   2. Shin Stretch L
   3. 1 Leg Virasana
   4. 1 Leg Virasana with forward fold
   5. Anjaneyasana
   6. 1 Leg Couch Stretch
   7. 1 Leg Pigeon
   8. Lizard Lunge
5. Sequence D
   1. Warrior II
   2. Utthita Trikonasana – 10 breaths
   3. Utthita Parsvakonasna
   4. Ardha Chandrasana 10 breaths
6. Sequence E
   1. Tadasana
   2. Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana – 10 breaths
   3. Natarajasana – 10 breaths
   4. Garudasana – 10 breaths
   5. Parsvottanasana – 10 breaths
   6. Parivrtta Trikonasana – 5 breaths
7. Sequence F
   1. Ardha Matsyendrasana -5 breaths
   2. Gomukhasana – 10 breaths
   3. Upavista Konasana
8. Sequence G
   1. Dandasana
   2. Paschimottanasana
   3. Halasana
   4. Salamba Sarvangasana
   5. Uttana Padasana
   6. Savasana
9. Sequence H
   1. Dandasana and Paschimottanasana 4 sets
   2. Sukasanana

Twisting - Intermediate

1. Sukhasana- Ujjayi Pranayama
2. Sequence 1
   1. Yogic Bicycles
   2. Jathra Parivartanansana
   3. Yogic Bicycles
   4. Navasana – Bow
3. Sequence 2
   1. Surya Namaskara A
   2. Ashta Chandrasana
   3. Parivrtta Ashta Chandrasana – Revolved Side Angle Lunge Pose
   4. Revolved Triangle Pose
   5. Utkatasana
4. Sequence 3
   1. Surya Namaskara B x 3
   2. Parivrtta Utkatasana
   3. Virabhadrasana B
   4. Utthita Parsvakosana
   5. Utthita Trikonasana
   6. Natarajasana – Dancer’s Pose
   7. Ardha Chandrasana- Half Moon
5. Sequence 4
   1. Prasarita A and B
   2. Parsvottanasana
   3. Parivrtta Trikonasana
   4. Parivritta Parshavakonasana
      1. Add in bind
   5. Parivrtta Ardha Chandrasana – Revolved Half Moon
   6. Warrior 3
   7. Dancer
   8. Half moon
6. Sequence 5
   1. Balasana
   2. Urdhva Mukha Pasana – Broken Table
   3. Revolved Squatting Toe Balance
   4. Bhujangasana – Cobra Pose
   5. Ustrasana – Camel
   6. Laghuvarjrana – Little Thunderbolt Pose
   7. Bharadvajasana C
   8. Marichyasana C
7. Sequence 6
   1. Dandasana
   2. Paschimottanasana
   3. Parivrtta Janu Sirsasana
   4. Baddha Konanasa
   5. Eka Pada Sirsasana A – Elbow bind under knee
   6. Salamba Sirsasana I
   7. Halasana
   8. Salamba Sarvangasana
   9. Savasana

Yoga Poses and Asanas for Strength and Power Athletes